George Eastham#Newcastle United

Eastham was part of a footballing family – his father, George Eastham Sr., was an England international who played for Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, while his uncle Harry Eastham played for Liverpool and Accrington Stanley. In his youth he was a useful cricketer, playing in the same Blackpool CC team as his future fellow international, Jimmy Armfield.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackpoolcricket.co.uk/club-history|title=Club History|website=Blackpool Cricket Club}}

Eastham junior first played for Northern Irish club Ards, where his father was player-manager, and the two played together on the pitch. A skilful midfielder/inside forward, he was signed by Newcastle United in 1956, and made his debut against Luton Town on 6 October 1956, in a match which finished 2–2. He spent four seasons with the Magpies and during his time there he won caps for the Football League and the England U23 side. He played 125 games for Newcastle, scoring 34 goals, their best finish during this time being eighth in 1959–60.

However, during his time at Newcastle United Eastham fell out with the club, with Eastham disputing whether the house the club had supplied him was habitable, the unsatisfactory secondary job that the club had arranged (as maximum wage rules at the time forbade clubs from paying the market rate) and their attempts to stop him playing for the England U23 team.{{cite book |author=Spurling, Jon |title=Rebels for the Cause: The Alternative History of Arsenal Football Club | publisher=Mainstream | year=2004 |isbn=978-1-84018-900-1 |page=83}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eng-u23-intres-det.html|title=England - U-23 International Results - Details|website=RSSSF|access-date=25 January 2018}} With his contract due to expire soon, in 1959, Eastham refused to sign a new one and requested a transfer. However, Newcastle refused to let Eastham go. At the time, clubs operated a system known as retain-and-transfer, which meant that teams could keep a player's registration (thus preventing them from moving) while refusing to pay them if they had requested a transfer.{{cite journal| author=McArdle, David| title=One Hundred Years of Servitude: Contractual Conflict in English Professional Football before Bosman| url=http://webjcli.ncl.ac.uk/2000/issue2/mcardle2.html#Heading8| journal=Current Legal Issues| year=2000| access-date=23 December 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301021524/http://webjcli.ncl.ac.uk/2000/issue2/mcardle2.html#Heading8| archive-date=1 March 2010| url-status=dead}} As Eastham later recounted:Quoted in {{cite book | author=Spurling | title=Rebels for the Cause | year=2004 | page=81 | publisher=Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited | isbn=1-84018-900-2 }}

{{cquote|Our contract could bind us to a club for life. Most people called it the "slavery contract". We had virtually no rights at all. It was often the case that the guy on the terrace not only earned more than us – though there's nothing wrong with that – he had more freedom of movement than us. People in business or teaching were able to hand in their notice and move on. We weren't. That was wrong.}}

Unable to leave, Eastham went on strike at the end of the 1959–60 season, moving south to work for an old family friend, Ernie Clay (who later became chairman of Fulham), selling cork in Guildford, Surrey, a venture which earned him more money than his Newcastle contract paid.{{cite web |title=Football's Retain and Transfer System Explained |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faqcoueAjb4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/faqcoueAjb4 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=YouTube | date=21 May 2020 |access-date=26 May 2020}}{{cbignore}} Finally in October 1960 Newcastle relented and sold Eastham to Arsenal for £47,500. However, Eastham considered the point worth fighting for, and backed by the Professional Footballers' Association (who provided £15,000 to pay for Eastham's legal fees), he took the club to the High Court in 1963.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

In the case, Eastham v. Newcastle United [1964] Ch. 413, Eastham argued that it was an unfair restraint of trade, and that Newcastle owed him £400 in unpaid wages and £650 in unpaid bonuses. The judge, Mr Justice Wilberforce, ruled partly in Eastham's favour, stating that the retain-and-transfer system was unreasonable, although he ruled that as Eastham had refused to play for Newcastle, that any payment of wages for the disputed period was at Newcastle's discretion.{{cite book | author=Spurling | title=Rebels for the Cause | year=2004 | pages=87–88 | publisher=Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited | isbn=1-84018-900-2 }} As a result, although Eastham did not gain personally, he succeeded in reforming the British transfer market. The "retain" element of retain-and-transfer was greatly reduced, providing fairer terms for players looking to re-sign for their clubs, and setting up a transfer tribunal for disputes.

Eastham made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers on 10 December 1960, and scored twice as Arsenal won 5–1.{{cite book |last=Harris|first=Jeff|editor-last=Hogg|editor-first=Tony |title=Arsenal Who's Who |publisher=Independent UK Sports |year=1995 | isbn=1-899429-03-4 | pages=162–163 }} Later on that same season, he scored the equaliser against his former club Newcastle United at St James' Park, in a 3–3 draw, during which he was called "Judas" and pelted with apples.{{cite book | author=Spurling | title=Rebels for the Cause | year=2004 | page=85 | publisher=Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited | isbn=1-84018-900-2 }} Throughout his six seasons at Arsenal, he was a regular for the side; though not a prolific goalscorer, Eastham was one of the most talented players of what was an average Arsenal side at the time; under George Swindin and Billy Wright, Arsenal never finished higher than 7th during his time there.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

Eastham's time at Arsenal was often turbulent; as well as the court case against Newcastle United, he fell out with Arsenal after asking for a pay rise following the maximum wage's abolition in 1961 (but eventually Arsenal relented and met his demands),{{cite book | author=Spurling | title=Rebels for the Cause | year=2004 | page=86 | publisher=Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited | isbn=1-84018-900-2 }} and he asked for a transfer after being replaced by Joe Baker up front at the start of the 1962–63 season.{{cite book | author=Spurling | title=Rebels for the Cause | year=2004 | page=87 | publisher=Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited | isbn=1-84018-900-2 }} However, Billy Wright sought a compromise and eventually restored Eastham to the side, behind Baker; Eastham's form returned, he came off the transfer list and in both 1963–64 and 1964–65 he scored ten goals, the most per season during his Arsenal career, which included two in a 4–4 draw in a memorable North London derby match against Tottenham Hotspur at Highbury in October 1963.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

Eastham continued to be a regular and served as Arsenal captain between 1963 and 1966,{{cite web |url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/george-eastham-1936-2024 |title=George Eastham 1936–2024 |date=21 Dec 2024 |website=Arsenal FC |access-date=21 Dec 2024}} but Arsenal's declining form – finishing 14th in 1965–66 — led to Wright's dismissal in the summer of 1966. By now Eastham was nearly 30, and the new Arsenal management sought to dismantle Wright's side in favour of younger players. He joined Stoke City in August 1966, having scored 41 goals in 223 matches for the Gunners.

File:Frank Lord & George Eastham1.jpg

Eastham was purchased by Stoke City manager, Tony Waddington, for a fee of £35,000, prior to the start of the 1966–67 season. Eastham spent the next eight seasons at Stoke City, during which the club maintained their status in the First Division. He played in a side which combined home grown talent – such as the likes of Denis Smith, Alan Bloor and Mike Pejic — alongside the experience of veterans like Eastham and Peter Dobing. Stoke won the League Cup in 1971–72, with Eastham scoring the winning goal in the final against Chelsea, which finished 2–1. At the age of 35 years 161 days, he became the oldest player to receive a winner's medal. He was also a beaten FA Cup semi-finalist in successive seasons (1970–71 and 1971–72) — both times in replays and both times by his former club Arsenal. Eastham also represented Stoke at European level, playing in the 1972–73 UEFA Cup; the first time the club had competed at European level in its history. In the first round, Stoke played Kaiserslautern of Germany but lost 5–3 on aggregate over two legs and were knocked out of the competition in the process.{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=A-Z of Stoke City |year=1997 |publisher=The Breedon Books Publishing Company Limited |isbn=1-85983-100-1 | pages =234|chapter=UEFA Cup }}

In February 1971, at the age of 34, Eastham took a break from playing to develop his coaching ability, with the view of going into management. He embarked on a trip to South Africa, playing on loan with Cape Town City before having a spell as player-manager of Hellenic, who had previously been managed by his father.{{Cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/george-eastham-24817/ |title=EASTHAM George Richard |website=11v11.co.uk |access-date=28 December 2007}} Eastham returned to Stoke in October 1971, to continue his playing career.{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=A-Z of Stoke City | pages =78–79|chapter=Eastham, George Edward, OBE }}

Eastham made 194 league appearances for Stoke City in total, ten of them as a substitute, scoring four goals. Eastham retired from playing in 1974, having been appointed an OBE for services to football the previous year.{{cite web |url=https://news.sky.com/story/england-1966-world-cup-footballer-george-eastham-dies-13277575 |title=England 1966 World Cup footballer George Eastham dies |publisher=Sky News |date=21 December 2024 }}

Eastham joined the England squad for the 1962 FIFA World Cup as an uncapped player, but did not play in the tournament; his England debut finally came on 8 May 1963, against Brazil. His final game for England came in a warmup game for the 1966 FIFA World Cup, against Denmark in Copenhagen on 3 July 1966, scoring in a 2–0 win. Eastham was also part of the squad for that tournament, but did not play a single minute of England's win in the tournament.

In the 1966 World Cup final only the 11 players on the pitch at the end of the 4–2 win over West Germany received medals. Following a Football Association led campaign to persuade FIFA to award medals to all the winners' squad members, Eastham was presented with his medal by Gordon Brown at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street on 10 June 2009.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8093891.stm |title=World Cup 1966 winners honoured |publisher=BBC News |date=10 June 2009 }}

Eastham became Tony Waddington's assistant at Stoke, and succeeded Waddington as Stoke manager after the latter resigned in March 1977, becoming only the club's fourth manager since 1935. He took over a side depleted of their best players who had been sold off to pay for repair work at the Victoria Ground and in trouble, and their relegation from the First Division was confirmed while he was in charge, finishing 21st out of 22 in 1976–77 after a run of just one win in 13 games. Eastham lasted only ten months, leaving the club in January 1978, after failing to sustain a push for promotion from the Second Division.

After leaving the Stoke job, Eastham quit professional football completely and emigrated to South Africa in 1978. He set up his own sportswear business as well as being a football coach for local black children (being a noted opponent of apartheid). He was also chairman of the South African Arsenal Supporters' Club.

Eastham died on 20 December 2024, at the age of 88.{{cite web|url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/december/20/george-eastham-obe-1936-2024/|title=George Eastham OBE (1936-2024)|publisher=Stoke City FC|accessdate=20 December 2024|date=20 December 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/world-cup-winning-england-international-eastham-dies-aged-88-2024-12-21/ |title=World Cup-winning England international Eastham dies aged 88 |publisher=Reuters |date=21 December 2024 }}

Since his death, only three members of the 1966 World Cup Winning squad of England, Geoff Hurst, Terry Paine and Ian Callaghan, are still alive.{{cite web |title=And then there were three: The disappearing squad of '66 |url=https://gameofthepeople.com/2024/12/21/and-then-there-were-three-the-disappearing-squad-of-66/ |website=Game of the People |access-date=23 December 2024 |date=21 December 2024}}

!colspan="2"|Total

|-

!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

|-

|rowspan="5"|Newcastle United

|1956–57

|First Division

|18||2||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||18||2

|-

|1957–58

|First Division

|29||3||2||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||5

|-

|1958–59

|First Division

|35||6||1||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||36||7

|-

|1959–60

|First Division

|42||18||2||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||44||20

|-

!colspan="2"|Total

!124!!29!!5!!5!!colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||129!!34

|-

|rowspan="7"|Arsenal

|1960–61

|First Division

|19||5||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||20||5

|-

|1961–62

|First Division

|38||6||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||40||6

|-

|1962–63

|First Division

|33||4||3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||36||4

|-

|1963–64

|First Division

|38||10||4||0||0||0||3{{efn|Appearances in Inter-Cities Fairs Cup}}||0||45||10

|-

|1964–65

|First Division

|42||10||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||44||10

|-

|1965–66

|First Division

|37||6||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||38||6

|-

!colspan="2"|Total

!207!!41!!13!!0!!0!!0!!3!!0!!223!!41

|-

|rowspan="9"|Stoke City

|1966–67{{ENFA}}

|First Division

|41||1||1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||43||1

|-

|1967–68

|First Division

|39||1||1||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||45||1

|-

|1968–69

|First Division

|27||1||4||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||33||1

|-

|1969–70

|First Division

|34||1||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||37||1

|-

|1970–71

|First Division

|19||0||6||0||2||0||1{{efn|name=TC|Appearances in Texaco Cup}}||0||28||0

|-

|1971–72

|First Division

|14||0||8||0||8||1||1{{efn|name=TC}}||0||31||1

|-

|1972–73

|First Division

|18||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||19||0

|-

|1973–74

|First Division

|2||0||0||0||0||0||2{{efn|One appearance in Texaco Cup and one appearance in Watney Cup}}||0||4||0

|-

!colspan="2"|Total

!194!!4!!23!!0!!19!!1!!4!!0!!240!!5

|-

|Cleveland Stokers (loan)

|1967{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/E/Eastham.George.htm|title=NASL Soccer North American Soccer League Players, Photos, and Statistics|website=www.nasljerseys.com|access-date=24 January 2018}}

|United Soccer Association

|11||1||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||11||1

|-

!colspan="3"|Career total

!536!!75!!41!!5!!19!!1!!7!!0!!603!!81

|}

{{Notelist}}

Ards FC

• Gold Cup (Northern Ireland): 1953-54 Gold Cup
• County Antrim Shield: 1955-56 County Antrim Shield

Stoke City

• Football League Cup: 1971–72{{Cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=2258|title=George Eastham {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} No Club {{!}} Age 81 {{!}} 1971–1972 {{!}} Soccer Base|website=www.soccerbase.com|access-date=24 January 2018}}

England

• World Cup: 1966

Individual

• United Soccer Association All-Star Team: 1967{{Cite web|url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/nasl/naslallstar.html|title=NASL All-Star Teams, all-time|website=homepages.sover.net|access-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413194036/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/nasl/naslallstar.html|archive-date=13 April 2018|url-status=dead}}
• PFA Merit Award 1976{{cite web |url=http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-awards/pfa-merit-award/pfa-merit-award-roll-of-honour |title=Archived copy |access-date=3 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327052646/http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-awards/pfa-merit-award/pfa-merit-award-roll-of-honour |archive-date=27 March 2009}}
• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE): 1973{{London Gazette |issue=45984 |date=22 May 1973 |page=6482 |supp=y}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{IMDb name| 6446913}}

{{Navboxes colour

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| bg = white

| fg = #0B0B3F

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{{England squad 1962 FIFA World Cup}}

{{England squad 1966 FIFA World Cup}}

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{{Stoke City F.C. managers}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eastham, George}}

Category:1936 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:Footballers from Blackpool

Category:English men's footballers

Category:England men's international footballers

Category:England men's under-23 international footballers

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Ards F.C. players

Category:Newcastle United F.C. players

Category:Arsenal F.C. players

Category:Stoke City F.C. players

Category:Cleveland Stokers players

Category:Cape Town City F.C. (1960) players

Category:Hellenic F.C. players

Category:English Football League players

Category:English Football League representative players

Category:1962 FIFA World Cup players

Category:1966 FIFA World Cup players

Category:FIFA World Cup–winning players

Category:English football managers

Category:Stoke City F.C. managers

Category:English Football League managers

Category:United Soccer Association players

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:People educated at Arnold School

Category:English expatriate men's footballers

Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in South Africa

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Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States

Category:National Football League (South Africa) players

Category:English football coaches

Category:NIFL Premiership players